Development of a Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis Plus (SGBA+) Tool to Assess the Equity of Public Policies The Case of COVID-19

Background: Crisis-driven policymaking often unfolds under conditions of urgency and heightened political pressure, producing policies portrayed as neutral but embedding assumptions that obscure power asymmetries and deepen existing inequities. A literature review revealed a scarcity of policy analysis instruments capable of evaluating the gendered and intersectional equity-promoting potential of public policies.Purpose: This paper describes the development of a sex- and gender-based analysis plus (SGBA+) tool designed to assess whether COVID-19 public policies meaningfully consider equity and inclusion.Approach: The tool’s development followed an iterative process involving a mapping literature review, a structured planning and design phase, piloting with Canadian pandemic policies, and consultation with community organizations working with population groups facing marginalization or exclusion.Findings: The resulting tool comprises 81 questions across six policy dimensions, with a scoring system that rates policies from “unequal” to “transformative” based on their responsiveness to gender and intersecting social identities. While validity and reliability have not yet been tested, the tool fills an identified gap in equity-oriented policy analysis.Implications: With adjustments, the tool could be applied to public policies adopted in response to health, environmental, and economic crises. By making visible how policy design distributes resources and risks, SGBA+ approaches offer policymakers, advocates, and researchers a concrete means to interrogate decision-making and guide emergency governance toward greater equity.